What I See In You
by MaliJo
Summary: Elsa knew this man was an idiot the moment she had to rescue him from the water and give him mouth to mouth. What she didn't know was that he was a very shut-off student in her boarding school, a man with a lot of history and secrets, a man who was curious as to why she wore long sleeves, a man named Hans. (Boarding school AU) (Helsa).
1. Save Me From Myself

**A/N:**** A nice lengthy first chapter for you. I hope you enjoy this story. Though you know my first chapters are terribly laggy, they're also important. Hopefully you'll get it because I was being subtly direct. **

**A few details... this is a modern, boarding school AU. No powers! Ralph and Primrose are Rapunzel's parents. (Having said that, Anna and Rapunzel etc... won't have many appearances. I don't think Kristoff will have any. Unless I feel like it I'd just like to focus on Helsa and a few of my OCs for the students/teachers. Please leave a review if you have any questions and I'll get back to you :)**

**RATED M: For use of language, suggestive themes, very angsty themes, violence and loving smut. Read at your own accord. **

**DISCLAIMER: Who actually owns Frozen? Oh right Disney. I thought we ALL knew that. xD I also don't own the cover image. Sorry, sorry... sorry I'm not sorry. Cover image by naima from DeviantART. Mkayy? **

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter One<strong>

Save Me From Myself

* * *

><p>The sky was a soft blue, the sun was an eccentric blinding ball of white and the sand below him was a gritty shade of brown. It was summer in the crowded city of Arendelle, and below the cliffs was a beautiful stretch of warm sand meeting the large clawing waves of deep blue saltwater.<p>

A _warm _summer was the least to say 'rare' in the narrow and jagged outskirts of Norway but the second millenium seemed to be an exception and due to the hot weather, most of the teenage students of Arendelle had gathered to the beach on their weekend off and _fair enough_ he thought. Though the energy surrounding him was far too happy for what he had planned in his afternoon.

Hans Westerguard, a student of Arendelle's boarding school trudged his way through the sand, sweating in his grey suit which had been neat and clean only two hours ago, around a glass table with his family. Now shuddy and grubby, the white shirt half unbuttoned and the black tie loose around his neck. His muscles were aching, his lips were dry, his auburn fringe was drenched in sweat and there were tears hiding behind his eyes but he had to keep on going, he had to carry on passing these smiles and laughs until he would reach the secluded cove he often visited alone.

It was in his distance and the noises of boys and girls enjoying themselves upon the sand slowly faded into nothing more than the ugly past tense and Hans came to a sudden halt, before the harsh fold of rock, glancing nervously left and right to see if anyone was watching him. Luckily, there was no one within his midsts. He was invisible to others. It came as no surprise to him though.

Taking one brave step forward, heaving his leg onto the dark rock edge of the cliff, he thought about his poor excuse for a life.

_Who am I? _He thought. Was he anyone? Or was he bound to life to be known as Harvey's brother or Harry's brother or Hayden's brother. He was never Hans the great, just known to be the first and last mistake who brought shame to the Westerguard family. The thirteenth son of Hector and Anita Westerguard. What life was that. A life where his parents sent him across the sea to an expensive boarding school so they didn't have to harbour the guilt of taking on their fuck-up of a son.

_Bastards _Hans cursed in his mind, gritting his teeth tightly together in spite as his muscles hardened beneath the restrictive clothing and pulled him up each sharp ridge of the rock until the skin of his palms started to tear and bleed.

He took a brave look back to cast his eyes upon the people of the beach, still playing, still he was unseen. Though on this occasion, he was happy to be ignored. Company was certainly not wanted here.

Looking down, it wasn't too long of a drop if he participated in some awkward crab-crawling across the rock. He took one step downwards, slowly, counting in his mind as his breathing slowed and quickened at every flinch of his fingertips. Unfortunately after three careful steps, his foot slipped under the slippery leather sole of his most formal black shoes and he was left dangling, the wounds in the soft skin of his hands widening.

Eventually, he gave up and let himself tumble backwards and land on the harsh robust area of sand, his back aching and his foot twisted in some abnormal direction he couldn't bare to glance down at. He was left on his back, staring up at the bright sun. For a few moments anyway until he felt something sharp dig into his spine.

Slowly and gradually, Hans sat up, rubbing his back in minor pain from the hermit shell he had landed on. His eyes caught onto his ankle. Twisted, _great. _He thought sarcastically, gently picking himself up onto his stronger left foot and holding his shoulder which was also vibrating in pain and dripping with blood. Perhaps his head was too but he didn't care anymore, he wouldn't be caring for a long time to come either.

"This is why I hate the beach" Hans whispered to himself though it came out in a spluttering hiss, inhaling in pain as he tried his luck at lowering his right ankle to the ground.

_Fuck. Bad move._

But Hans really did hate the beach. All the happy faces, all the ghastly smells and ice cold saltwater. Hell, he couldn't even swim. No one taught him how. But luckily, this cove was very isolated from human activity, hidden away in the deceiving curves of the cliff that stood strong, sharp and tall like a cage above him. The boarding school perching within safe distance from the ledge above.

The young man of sixteen continued to hobble towards the small waves that were splashing onto the dark sand. Hans looked ahead and chuckled with half-lidded murky eyes. Though sunshine spilled upon the strip of warm sand, a grey and promising storm was to be seen far ahead in an abundance of dark unwelcoming storm clouds full of heavy rain and loud thunder, possibly even quick forks of lightning. It was typical that on one of Norway's most beautiful sunny days, something cold and miserable would eat it up like a vacuum.

_Ha, that sounds familiar. _

After much staggering, Hans gently and awkwardly kicked off his polished yet sandy shoes, still gripping onto his bruised and wounded shoulder in agony, he finally felt that ice cold water lap at his bare feet, numbing his twisted ankle. He almost felt grateful for his nemesis of nature.

The sun was beating down and burning his freckled and worn-out skin, whilst the cold tickled his calves, The contrast was unexplainable. The screeches of gulls soaring in the air were never pleasant amplified to the ear either. But then again, all the flaws of this fateful Sunday had been exaggerated terribly to Hans' dismay.

From the nervous journey to his family's holiday mansion inland, the daunting lunch full of sighs, small niggling comments, painful memories of neglect and unworthiness, shattered dreams and eventually, a shattered table of china after Hans' long-awaited outburst but they didn't care, they didn't look scared or even shed a tear let alone wrap their arms around him and give their apologies. Even fake ones would heal his broken and ignored past but no, he wasn't even worth _that _to them. So they kindly dismissed him from the table and he dismissed _himself _from the mansion, vowing never to go back. Ever. And to make sure of that, he journeyed _here _to this hidden covein the blazing sun. Here to stand by his promise and finally meet the storm he was to become.

Carefully, as if he were scooping up the delicate pottery he'd recently broken, he peeled the hot and dull waistcoat from his white shirt which was also shaken off after much tantalizing unbuttoning, his wounded arm hanging feebly at his side whilst his good arm did most of the work.

Finally, he was just left in the soft and thin fabric of his trousers, his shirt discarded to allow the cool breeze to embrace his tightened chest and neck. To allow him to breath for what he would soon come to never endure again.

His tie, shirt and waistcoat was left struddled in a pile of unspoken words rather than expensive attire upon the ground. He wouldn't need them ever again, he was sure someone would come along and snag them for a little money. That was fine with him. Unlike many others he knew, the selfish gene only went to a certain extent in _his _mind.

Finally, he faced the horizon where the storm was very slowly approaching, bringing its hungry waves and whirling currents along with it. His face was dripping with determination, his hand balled into fists though his wrists still ached, his cut palms still stung like wasps and his biceps flexed beneath the damaged skin on his upper arm, probing the bruises above. Once again, he didn't care. It wasn't like anyone else would either. They didn't know him. He was never there so now, he was just simply doing the Westerguards a favour, taking the guilt from their shoulders... and drowning it.

Hans took one step forward, deeper into the water, his toes sinking into the cold and wet sand, his breath heavy and irregular, tainted in both worry and frustration.

_I have to do this _Hans chanted in his mind.

_Conceal, don't feel, don't let it show. Be the good guy you always have to be… _

"Well, I _am _the good guy" Hans spoke aloud to himself, staring down at the shivering ripples of seawater, rising above his knees as he slowly edged closer forward into the navy blue of darkness, the faint outline of his feet glittering under the water being the one thing reassuring him that he was still stood on the ground.

"You hear that, mum!?" He shouted with clenched teeth, his jaw tight in fury as he glared up to the white clouds, images of his mother swooning around him as if he were a failed project, prodding at all his faults and turning her nose up at every last inch of potential. His father wasn't exactly a hero in his books either, ignoring his every word since he was a toddler, shooing him away, cursing at him for being too _distant _and _hollow _in the presence of his family.

Then of course, images of his twelve modeled brothers filled his mind. All the same, one manipulative businessman after the next, all bland, all suck-ups, all showy conformists and low-life pricks who had nothing better to do than follow in the footsteps of their worshipped father. Pathetic.

"You're all bastards, You're all fucking pretentious _bastards_" He cursed much more quietly than before, his fists loosening beneath him, and his sight sinking back down to his blurred reflection in the bitter cold water, the temperature forgotten in the deep corners of his mind. It was now circling around his waist, reeling him in like a lost and unfortunate fish, like a strange magnetic pull, forcing him further away from the safety of the shore.

A tear threatened to push from his restrictive eyes but ceased to fall and join the saltwater below him. They weren't worth crying over they were worth nothing but the lost sadness in the waves.

_I've had enough. This is it. _

As mentioned before, Hans couldn't swim due to the lack of family education. He hesitated the next few steps as the waves got larger and the confined cove behind him got smaller, further away.

_It's best for everyone this way _Hans thought solemnly, taking one more look at the sky with sad eyes before his eyelids fell to meet one another and he took a few more strides forward until his face disappeared under the skin of the water, sound became nothing but the waves passing in his ear, he inhaled and embraced the saltwater filling his lungs as if it were the only love he would ever be granted and very simply, he just _let it go. _

_**A little while before… **_

Like the many other people of Arendelle, the small Randampion family had traveled far from the much warmer and sunny tides of Corona to join in their last moments together for a while where the eldest's heart was set. Her home city of Arendelle. The beach alone stirred up so many treasured memories to Elsa though slightly unsure whether it had the same effect on her younger sister, Anna.

Elsa sat atop her beach towel, curved inwards to herself under the cool shade of the beach umbrella she had convinced her aunt Primrose and uncle Ralph to squeeze into their rather colourful campervan (courtesy of her cousin, Rapunzel and her trusty paints). Both Ralph and Primrose sat beside her , their legs tangled together as they sat back, humming along to the radio at their feet and spying characters in the clouds above them through their large shades.

Elsa sighed happily at the sight of her adopted parents, she was going to miss them now she'd been recently enrolled into boarding school, all her belongings sat in the back of their campervan. But she had her heart set on that school and highschool back in Corona just wasn't enough, she wanted to be closer to her home that she'd moved away from some years ago after her parents passing.

Both Anna and Rapunzel jumped onto their tip-toes, hitting a volleyball to one another and winking at a passing gentleman who appeared a nice and burly taste to their tongues before falling into a fit of giggles. Elsa grinned and shook her head, she'd miss _them _too. But instead of focusing on all the bad that came with her move, she decided to settle her mind on the good.

"Elsa!" Shouted a voice. Elsa glanced up with sparkling eyes, hugging her knees closer towards her and the shade only to see Rapunzel, ushering her older cousin over with a gleeful wave. Elsa shyly shook her head, returning one of her hands to the ground to grip onto a small flat periwinkle shell she'd been tossing and turning between her dainty fingers some moments ago.

Once she looked up again, expecting to find Anna and Rapunzel continuing with their game, they were otherwise grinning too close to her face for her liking, causing Elsa to jump back slightly, the periwinkle shell falling completely from her palm and into the sand. The girls laughed once more, earning a small frown and scowl from the hesitant blonde sister.

"Rapunzel, Anna, leave poor Elsa alone" Ralph chuckled, sitting up and kissing his wife on the cheek before heading towards the concrete steps up to the carpark to retrieve the icebox and lunch from the campervan. Anna stuck her tongue out at him once his back was turned and giggled in Elsa's direction.

"Come and play with us!" She suggested, already trying to pull Elsa out of her comforting shaded spot, Rapunzel hesitating to grip onto Elsa's other hand that was digging through the sand for her lost shell. "Anna, stop!" She chuckled, trembling in possible laughter as Anna resulted to tickling the pads of her fingers up Elsa's arm.

When Elsa finally got both her arms back, she pulled her rather wide sunhat over her eyes and sat back, ignoring the two girls. "Go enjoy the sun" she told them with a small smile. Anna and Rapunzel turned to each other before chorusing together "not without you".

Elsa sighed, glancing towards her aunt Primrose in hope of some excuse to stay behind and just watch the fun. Primrose simply smiled as she spoke her next words. "Come on Elsa, you could use a tan". Elsa groaned, falling back upon the sand. There wasn't much she could do to alter the situation though she desperately wanted to stay out of the public eye.

_Though I suppose I owe it to them since this is my last day with them for a while… _

"Okay, give me a minute" Elsa agreed, watching as Anna and Rapunzel's faces lit up like the sunshine above them. They hurried to give Elsa some space as she sat up, stretching out and listening to the expectant clicks of her muscles, getting ready to stand up and join the two who were slowly chatting amongst one another a few yards away.

Though as she stood up, a hand flew to her wrist, restricting her from moving. Elsa spun around to see Primrose slowly ushering Elsa to sit back down who gradually complied, tilting her head in confusement as her aunt sat up crossed-legged and slid her shades down her nose and finally, into her lap.

"Are you okay?" Elsa asked, licking her lips. Primrose smiled, releasing Elsa's hand.

"I'm fine, dear, but… you wouldn't mind a quick chat with your old aunt before you go?" She questioned, the crows feet beside her eyes deepening as she smiled sympathetically towards her eldest niece. "Sure" Elsa said, shuffling into a more comfortable position.

"A-are you sure you want to leave to go to this school?" Primrose asked. Elsa looked down, not bearing to face her aunt's sad and pale eyes. How many times had she been asked this question by all of the family already? Too many times and too many times she failed to explain her reasons though each time, was worth a shot.

"Auntie… you know why. I want to be a nurse and the only thing Corona high offers is a CPR programme. I need more. Plus, my parents said in their will that I could spend the money they left for me on whatever I wish once I turn sixteen, and now I am, I want nothing more than to join this school. Not just because of the education but… Arendelle is… it's my home, I've been missing it quite a lot lately. I'm sorry" Elsa explained wholeheartedly. Primrose brought a soft hand to Elsa's chin and tilted her head upwards so their eyes met.

"I understand" she smiled. "I was only checking you know, are you sure you don't want to be a politician? You do explain yourself a lot" Primrose teased, the both of them sharing a chuckle shortly after.

"I should go to them" Elsa sighed contently, gesturing towards Rapunzel and Anna who had been waiting rather patiently considering their natures. "Okay" Primrose nodded. "Ralph with have a barbeque ready in ten minutes… make sure the girls are back by then".

"I will".

Without deepening the already-extended conversation, Elsa got to her feet and jogged towards the two awaiting girls, holding her straw sunhat down as she ran.

"Hi…" she breathed. "So… where did you want to go?" Elsa asked, stealing a glance back to Primrose who was greeting Ralph and offering help with carrying the food and icebox he had brought out.

"Well actually, Anna said she found a cool place under the cliffs" Rapunzel grinned as they started heading in the direction of the towering rocks where Elsa caught a glimpse of her new school standing proudly on top of it. Anna smirked, folding her arms across her chest. "Yeah" she confirmed.

Elsa cocked one eyebrow into the sky, eyeing her sister up and down. "Um… Punzie do you know that when Anna says _cool_, she probably means a shithole". Rapunzel frowned.

"No, no, I'm not taking you guys to a shithole!" Anna argued, waving her arms into the air.

"I've never been to a shithole" Rapunzel spoke naively as if she wasn't in on the joke… she probably wasn't either. Another smirk laced across Anna's lips as she wrapped one arm around Rapunzel's shoulder.

"Oh, shitholes are just the _best_, you should totally go and tell everyone to join us in a shithole" Anna suggested. Rapunzel started to twirl over to someone until Elsa stopped her with an unamused stare. "Rapunzel, don't do that, Anna… please shut up".

Anna sighed. "Okay, okay, I heard you and aunt talking by the way" she interjected.

"What about?" Rapunzel queried, already exulted in excitement and anticipation.

"Just school stuff" Elsa sighed, shaking her head and wiping her forehead with the back of her hand. Already she was sweating out in the hot sun, and that was only one of the reasons she truly hated the beach. And summer.

"How was that CPR programme anyway?" Anna asked. "I didn't do it".

"It was fine, I got an A" Elsa smiled victoriously. Though not to add it to her small ego…

The three continued to chat and walk, Elsa admiring the courage of Anna in her frilly hot pink swimsuit and Rapunzel in her cute purple bikini that was decorated in yellow suns. She'd never be able to prance around the beach like them. Right now, she wore a long-sleeved white top over her red bikini which was covered by black knee-length jogging bottoms. Her sleeves were long for a good reason too…

"So why are we really here?" Elsa asked as they approached a tall and sharp wall of rock. Rapunzel bit her lip, staring up at Anna in hope and then to Elsa's awaiting and beady blue eyes.

"Well… um…" Rapunzel fumbled for the right words to say until Anna happily cut in.

"We saw this really hot guy walking over here earlier" the redhead grinned. There was a long pause before any words were said. "Gorgeous sideburns, looked kinda tired out though. I'm surprised how he actually managed to climb this rock".

"So we're stalking someone?" Elsa asked flatly. Anna scrunched up her small lips and nose in thought. "Um…" there was another pause. "Something like that" Anna finally agreed.

"I'm leaving" Elsa said, turning to walk away, Rapunzel stuck in confusement of whether to follow the mature older one or stay with Anna in case she fell off of the rock she was clinging to like a bat.

Elsa glanced towards her younger sister for a brief second before turning away and sighing, her arms swingingly limply by her sides. That was one thing she wouldn't miss. Anna's immaturity around… well, everything. No wonder she didn't take that CPR lesson. She probably wasn't even allowed.

"What do you see?" Rapunzel called up as she noticed Anna had reached the top.

"A six pack!" Anna whispered in delight. Rapunzel frowned clawing at the rock uselessly to climb it along with her though Rapunzel had never been good at that.

"You're going to have to tell me more!" Rapunzel hissed, falling on her behind in attempt to haul herself up the jagged edges. Anna giggled quietly, trying not to capture her prey's attention.

"Okay… it's definitely the guy we saw earlier but better" Anna smirked.

"How?" Rapunzel breathed.

"Shirtless"

"Oh…"

"This is like a strip show! Oh Punzie, you'd love this… it's a shame you're not up here. to see Hey, you have a binoculars?"

"Anna!" Called a new voice. The youngest girl turned her attention to see Elsa below her with a worried expression lining each curve of her shaded face.

"Hi Elsa! I thought you'd gone!" Anna cheered.

"That was until I looked back and saw how much of an idiot you're being, you're going to fall, get down from there!"

"No way, the shows just getting started!"

"What the fuck are you on about?"

"This guy is skinny dipping I think. Woah sis, less of the cursing though…"

"Anna, get down-"

"Shush! He'll see us!"

Rapunzel slowly neared Elsa and waited patiently for Anna to follow once the brunette had actually realised how high Anna was on the rock, bound to fall and break her neck.

"You're a creep" Elsa sighed, her arms folded once again.

"Whatever" Anna mused, turning back to face the man on the small and isolated cove. He was nowhere to be seen. Instead, his clothes in a damp pile on the shore.

"He's gone…" Anna weeped. Elsa blinked deep in thought, suddenly staring up at Anna who had once again caught sight of him, shouting into the air. Though she paid no attention to what he was saying.

"Did you say he's skinny dipping?" Elsa asked, her eyes wide. Anna nodded, her eyes clamped shut in a wide smile. "By himself…?" Rapunzel quizzed, also slightly intrigued. Anna stuck her thumb up, turning to face the sight one more time only to find… he really wasn't there anymore no matter how many times she searched.

"People don't just skinny dip by themselves" Elsa spoke quietly to herself as much as Rapunzel beside her and Anna above her. Anna tilted her head, her lip quivering slightly.

"Um… Elsa… he's gone" Anna stammered.

"What do you mean?!" Elsa growled, surprising both Anna and Rapunzel as she jumped up the sharp rock, quicker than a leapfrog.

"He was there but he-"

"Anna, get down"

"But Elsa…"

"Get down!"

Anna immediately obeyed her older sister who was scanning the small cove desperately before her eyes fell upon a head full of auburn hair slowly disappearing down into the water, a panicked wave of his arms following shortly after.

_Does he not know how to swim?! Or is he… no, that can't be right… I need to help him. _

"Stay here" Elsa commanded, glaring down at the two frightened girls with piercing eyes, her tone as serious as the storm ahead of the sea, slowly devouring the sunny skies that kept them so warm and happy. Rapunzel shakily nod, Anna felt like protesting but looked to the ground, wrapping her arms around her shaking cousin. "We'll wait here" Anna confirmed. Elsa took one more stern nod towards the two before disappearing behind the other side of the rock, warily staring at the ground quite far below her.

_But wait, this is someone's life against a scratch on my knee. I can risk it. _

With that thought fresh in her mind, she pushed off of the rock, outstretching her legs and arms ready to land on all-fours, luckily hitting the ground without a single splinter. There was no time to marvel at her achievement though. Someone was stupidly drowning out where no one could see him which left doubts in her stomach… did he want to come out here and…. No, the thought didn't bear thinking about. She couldn't just watch him drown out in the sea, regardless of his wishes or whether he was a stranger or not.

Quickly, she stood up straight and sprinted across the hard, wet sand, running closer to the waves that were much more fierce than before, crashing upon the shore like pouncing lions… Elsa was a strong person despite her small frame and her will-power to save someone's life was at it's very highest.

The brave woman wiggled out of her jogging bottoms and chucked it along with her sunhat into a small pile next to the man's. They would only slow her down. But she had to keep her top on… just had too.

Without any further hesitation, she charged into the roaring waves that tried to slow her down, knock her over and claim her as their own but she fought against them, all the doubts and fears washing away from her body in more than one way.

Once the water swished around her hips, she dived in, searching hopelessly for the man, she was in the right place, yes. She memorized it perfectly. A large wave pushed her backwards, tossing her over and stealing the breath from her lungs, causing her to jump back up for air.

The natural high of being worked up to help this man was slowly draining from her as she panted, treading water frantically. No… she had to relax or the waves would take her strength and then eventually take _her. _

After a long inhale, she dived back under the water, looking left and right, forward and back through the midnight blue of Arendelle's waves that didn't allow her much sight. Elsa punched her small fist through the water, trying to feel out for anything she could find. Her toes were still brushing against the sand below her and she knew that she had to leave the comfort of knowing there was a ground to stand on.

Her fears were begging to return but she pushed past them, ignoring the dreaded feeling that was settling upon her as she quickly paddled forward, exposing her whole self to the merciful saltwater that took no liberty in making it easy but rather tossing her this way and that, under the water, above the water, each possible direction.

It was only when Elsa glanced back to realise how far she actually was from the beach. Everyone seemed like ants upon the sand, some waving frantically at her, some just getting on with what they were originally doing. Elsa knew then… she was a gonner.

Perhaps she had the smallest chance of using the last of her strength to swim back to shore, forget the stranger who doomed himself in the first place. But that would be selfish, she'd be a coward, not the good girl, the hero she always aimed to be.

_Why am I out here anyway? This man is not my family, nor my friend. _

But as she thought that, she glared down at her feet swishing like fast-flipping fins below her. She had to find him… She had to make sure he was safe… and bring him back to shore.

_I can't let another person drown… not another, no more… _

Tears stained her flustered cheeks as she plunged downwards into the darkness once more, ignoring the muffled screams emanating from back on the beach, her determination was enough to defeat the hard walls of water trying to keep her off balance.

"Where are you!" She cried, fisting through the thick and deep water, dunking her head under the surface of the water, looking desperately for him, for anything. Her tears came falling out once she felt her toes brush past the ground once again. It was useless…

_Am I going to die? I'm such a stupid bitch, why do I put others before myself like this, why am I in the fucking ocean looking for something I'll never find… _

Her own voice wasn't the only one clouding her mind...

_They're dead Elsa… you can't save them. It's over. _

_So what? You're going to leave him?! He's a human being!_

_Yeah.. leave him, just like you left your parents out there… _

"No… I-" Elsa's toes once again brushed against the ground but wait… it couldn't be, she was getting further out by the minute. Her chest went tight and he heart stopped. She'd heard tales of sharks and other beasts of the sea so what if…

Her heel then skin across… it was… a face... a person… it was _him! _

Elsa held her breath, the tears fading away as long lost memories as she dived down for the last time, kicking her legs in the air and battling against the waves. As her eyes adjusted to the murky water, she saw the figure her foot had been ghosting over on numerous accounts.

Her lungs started to tighten and her oxygen was draining low, she kicked her legs upwards, forcing her deeper, her fingertips brushed past his pale face and she stared at him for a while, the whole moment slow and tranquil. For just a moment, the waves stopped hating her, the air stopped needing her as she stared

His face was well built, a strong jaw and beautifully shaped nose, his eyes closed, cinnamon-coloured hair swaying across his face. It took Elsa a moment to get over how beautiful this man actually looked below her until she remembered, he was dying and she was floating further out into the North sea.

* * *

><p><strong>Please leave a review, they are very much appreciated and always will be. Follows and faves are just great too. I also have a few other Helsa stories for those interested! See you next chapter :)<strong>

**~MaliJo x**


	2. A Life-Saving Kiss

**Chapter Two**

A Life-Saving Kiss

* * *

><p>Elsa hooked her arms under Hans' masculine frame and pulled him up once again, kicking with all her might to reach the surface of the water, making sure at all times that the man's head was at level with hers in the fresh air.<p>

Luckily, the waves were deciding to support her decision and though Hans was heavy resting like a child on her back, the water thankfully took most of his weight as Elsa performed breaststroke down towards the shore that got nearer by the minute. She had to be quick, super quick in fact if she wanted to save his life. Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise having attended that one CPR class in Corona High. It was actually pretty factual now she was in a similar situation.

The blonde woman, almost fatigued from the journey out to sea let alone back to the sand spied a few figures waving frantically at her from the sand some minutes away. As she drifted closer, her might draining lower by the second, she noticed Anna jumping like a basketball on the top of the rock she had been perched behind, Rapunzel screaming at her to come down, glancing towards Elsa on the progress too.

Unfortunately, their screaming and waving had attracted many visitors on the beach who joined in the ranting or cheering, whatever it was. But it didn't help one bit. Elsa suddenly felt under pressure, and it was never a good feeling for her.

Hans suddenly became much more heavy due to her nerves flickering like candles in the wind across her cold skin, the weight of not only the human being sprawled across her back but also the small waves started to dawn over her. All the eyes from the beach boring into her like sharp knives.

"Elsa!" Shouted Anna, whose voice became clearer as the tips of Elsa's toes dragged across the sand beneath the water and in result, she had to start harbouring all of Hans' weight, hauling him through the smaller waves. The blonde let out a sigh of relief as she felt her abdomen increase in coldness and waves lap at her waist. She was within safety.

_Shame on me for expecting some goddamn help with this idiot! _Elsa thought as no one rushed to help her, instead just watching with wide eyes, their jaws gaping open. It was clear she'd have to do all the work by herself, like she already had. Though her arms were aching, her fingers and toes were numb and the soles of her feet were bruised from climbing that damn rock without shoes like Anna.

With a pair of thin and strong arms, she pulled Hans out of the water, his legs dragging like flimsy cotton balls across the sand. Still, people continued to stare in amazement or terror, their bodies frozen on the spot. Elsa grunted in frustration, letting the audience know how bloody useless they were being but yet, no one came to rescue besides Anna and Rapunzel who were trying to coax each other off of the rock. Elsa didn't even have time to scold her younger sister and cousin to stay still and quiet. Once a human had inhaled water, CPR was to be performed no longer than four minutes afterwards.

Elsa couldn't be sure that she had taken less than four minutes to swim another cold body to safety or whether it was draining more time than she thought as he started to panic, staring him up and down, fanning her hands before her face in hope of answers. Then, it all flowed soundly back into place.

_1. Keep to the side of your patient whilst performing CPR as to not block any methods of breathing. _

With the natter of the audience fading and the rules of life-rescue pouring in faster and clearer than the waves behind her, Elsa quickly dug her knees into the sand beside him, shuffling into a single spot where her hands could heave his chest. Which was precisely the next step.

_2. In a butterfly shape, place your hands on the patient's chest and follow the rhythm of a natural and steady heartbeat as you press. _

So Elsa tucked a loose strand of damp hair behind her ear and quickly, her hands flew to the center of his chest, her palms pushing into his skin as if she were kneading dough. With each push, the gasps of the crowd widened but disappeared from Elsa's mind as she focused all of her undying attention onto her _"patient". _

"Elsa!" Gasped a deep male voice. Elsa barely needed to glance in his direction to tell it was her flustered uncle Ralph, Primrose huddled beside him. There was no time for this shit.

_So they came to watch too? _

After wiping tiresome thoughts that would only inhale all of her precious energy, she continued to imitate a heartbeat upon Hans' chest, her eyes watering with failure each time she gained no response. Perhaps he was unconscious… Well of course he was!

The two aching hands flew to her sides as she caught her breath, scanning him from head to toe of something, _anything _else that could be done. Her eyes squinted through exasperated tears at his bare feet, slowly traveling up his long legs and lifeless torso until finally, the blues of her irises settled for the strong ridges of his neck where he once breathed, the soft swoop of his jaw where he once spoke and then finally, those thin lips, gaped ajar where he once… perhaps.

Taking no chances, it was time to refer to rule number three.

_3. If all else fails, mouth to mouth must be performed by-_

Gently, Elsa leant forward, swallowing her doubts before she ghosted the pads of her fingers on his angular chin, tilting her head and placing her lips onto his, exhaling deep and healing breaths into his lungs that were gradually drowning in thick saltwater by the seconds everyone counted on their fingers, hands fiddling by their sides, children huddled close to their parents and teeth chewing upon nails. Just distractions from the fact they could be helping in some shape or form.

_Anticipation._

Anticipation for the moment Elsa would succeed… or fail. It was the most tantalizing of all dreading feelings. Yet, she still puffed into his chest, still with all her might, closed eyes and gripping lips, continued to transfer even the most faded and hoarse of breaths she held worthy.

Bravery and determination became her biggest weight. The heavyweights of wanting to please all around, of wanting to save someone the way she could have saved her parents, just that one day… and _this _one day, she could be better than 'there to save the day', certainly better than useless as well.

Elsa started feeling nauseous, out of breath, out of strength, the force of the harsh ocean finally taking their effects on her like the wrong pills, causing her muscles to weaken, her eyes to water. She felt like giving up. Hadn't she done enough for this stranger?

After a few silent moments, she heard along with the rest of the gathered fellows, a sharp inhale and then a cough, a choke.

Inrush of both fear and excitement, Elsa's eyes flew to the man she… the man she had just saved. Leant on his elbows, his head sidewards and coughing up the burdens in his lungs lay the man she had successfully brought to life with… With the _kiss of life_ as it was labeled in many cheesy novels and films of such.

Elsa wanted to grin, to laugh, to cry, all at the same time but either one would have been far too inappropriate for the occasion. Instead, she stared at him with wide blue eyes, starting to shuffle nervously at the feeling of gritty sand coating her bare legs that were folded beneath her.

His eyes were closed, his hair wasn't that soft flowing burgundy of the boy she had seen taking his own life but now, a more sophisticated look of seriousness, of regret.

Hans' firm eyelids quickly fluttered open, adjusting to the sunlight he had foolishly wanted to leave behind in this cruel world. It took him a moment to question where he was, why he was there and who the fuck all the people assessing him were.

He tilted his head to his right, blinking and frowning in confusion when his eyes met a figure perched like a small robin beside him, tired dainty hands placed in her folded lap. She was the closest to him, just as soaked and out of breath as he was too, perhaps more so.

"Are you… are you okay?" She queried him in a whisper, her lips pursed sheepishly together and her eyebrows furrowed in concern. Hans stayed quiet, wondering what was possibly _"okay" _about his state. Of being, of mind…

Everything came back to him, the clammy grey suit he trudged through the sand like a hot sludge monster, the awful and victimised lunch at his family's holiday home, the cool breeze against his chest before he slipped under the skin of the water like a lost song, a distant moment. Like sand through his fingertips. So easily forgotten…

He gazed at her once more and then, at everyone else who watched in amazement, their eyes glistening in awe at the girl hovering above him.

_Could she have… saved me? _Hans thought to himself, his eyes widening.

He didn't ask, he already knew. Even without an answer, she had stuck her middle finger up at Hell where he had been slowly sinking down to and physically without warning nor consent, she took his _death _whilst he attempted taking his _life_.

_And failed. _

Elsa couldn't peel her enrapturing glare into his eyes away. Never had she laid her own orbs of cerulean onto these shining hazel emeralds, clouded with confusement and what pain could a stranger possibly possess? What burdens does this poor being carry on his shoulders?

It occurred right there and then that each person walks through life like it were an open door. Each individual passes hundreds of others a day, faces they've never met and never will meet again yet no one ever stops to question who that face belongs to and why it looks that way or how it came to past, the present, the future, the dreams...

As Elsa cleared her throat, examining this _stranger's _face a little while longer, a lot closer. She knew that she wanted to get to know it better and not let it pass her by as the many people around her would. She'd never let this one go, not this time, not ever.

* * *

><p><span><strong>AN:**** A really short chapter, I know. But it IS essential to the story, of course :) **

**Next chapter we jump straight into the boarding school, none of this crap. Sorry. Also, if you read my fiction blog or read my profile recently, you'll know that I kinda deleted all my stories and when I brought them back, lost ALL the follows and faves. Which kinda sucks but I'm hoping I can get at least a few back, huh? **

**Also read my latest blog post for my new updating schedule. I really appreciate all the amazing feedback I got on chapter one, keep it up, it enriches the writing for you! ... Like compost. :P**

**~MaliJo x**


End file.
